SMPD Vice Squad Send Underage Looking Officers to Buy Liquor from Local Stores

As if it weren't difficult enough running a retail establishment in Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Vice Squad send underage people younger than 20, in to local businesses to see if they could buy booze. The press release from Santa Monica PIO Lt. Candice Cobarrubias, follows:

On August 8, 2019, officers from the Santa Monica Police Department's Vice Unit conducted a minor decoy operation with assistance from members of the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control targeting alcohol retail establishments within the Wilshire Boulevard corridor, Lincoln and Ocean Park Boulevard corridors. The Minor Decoy Program uses supervised individuals under the age of 20, who attempt to purchase alcohol at licensed premises. Any sale of alcohol to a minor decoy may result in criminal and administrative sanctions for the employee and the licensee.

The team visited 20 alcohol retail establishments within the city of Santa Monica. All establishments did a commendable job and used proper protocol as the minor decoy was denied alcohol at each location.

The following locations engaged in responsible sales of alcohol by asking for the decoy's age, identification and refusing to sell alcohol upon determining the minor was under 21:

Michael's Liquor 2401 Wilshire Blvd. Bristol Farms 3105 Wilshire Blvd. BevMo 3202 Wilshire Blvd. Walgreen's 1931 Wilshire Blvd.

Rite Aid 1808 Wilshire Blvd.

Rite Aid 1331 Wilshire Blvd.

Vons 1311 Wilshire Blvd.

Santa Monica Liquor 1001 Wilshire Blvd. Broadway Wine & Spirits 1011 Broadway Vons 710 Broadway

Marine Market 672 Marine St.

Gelson's Market 2617 Lincoln Blvd.

Bob's Market 1650 Ocean Park Blvd.

OP Market 2305 Ocean Park Blvd.

Signature Wine & Spirits 2717 Ocean Park Blvd. Rite Aid 2412 Pico Blvd.

Sunset Plaza Liquor 2602 Pico Blvd.Ralph's Market 1644 Cloverfield Blvd. CVS 2505 Santa Monica Blvd.

Main Street Market 2916 Main St.

The Minor Decoy Program has proven to be an effective tool in promoting responsible practices in the sales of alcoholic beverages by licensees, reducing substance abuse and enhancing community welfare by limiting underage access to alcohol.

This project is part of the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control's Alcohol Policing Partnership Program.